If They Hadn't Been Heroes
by Kailynn Sanchez
Summary: Alternate Universe if "The Team" hadn't been "The Team." Just seven teenagers going through high school and facing the drama. Rated T for some language and later content. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

**I own nothing, but I'm proud of this so far. lOtS of drama to come, just the team going through high school... but they're not "The Team".**

**R&R**

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><p>The red-head raced down the street, leaving his friend behind. His legs carried him faster than any of the other boys in the sophomore class. Even with a diet that would kill most other humans, it barely kept him alive.<p>

"Wait up!" the red-head's friend called from down the block.

Wally laughed and doubled over to breathe. The run really didn't wind him that much, but he didn't want to seem like a show-off to his friend.

Dick caught up to where Wally was and copied the nonchalant act. Neither boys wanted to show any weakness to the other, as was expected on the playground in elementary school. Even in high school it was still frowned upon.

"You're a gymnast. You should be used to this cardio," Wally said.

"It's more upper body strength then cardio, smart ass."

"Yeah, whatever. So you up for another lap?"

Dick groaned and started running, so maybe this time he'd be able to beat Wally back to the checkpoint at the ginger's house.

"I'm still gonna beat you!" Wally yelled. He gave his younger friend enough time to get around the corner so he would come close to winning, but the freckled one would still prevail.

Racing was one of their favorite pastimes, aside from playing Portal on the family Xbox. Mariokart was fun, too, but the virtual racing was nothing compared to the adrenaline rush that came and the feeling of being tired but yet so alive from sweat evaporating off their skin. Wally loved the wind blowing through his short-cropped red hair and the salty taste left on his lips. It was the taste of victory.

"How did you beat me again?" Dick asked when he slowed into the Wests' driveway. "I didn't even see you pass me!"

"You're too busy watching your feet. Form really isn't important when you're running. Winning is he important thing."

From being competitive in gymnastics competitions, Dick knew about tough competitors. Whenever he was with Wally, he felt like he didn't measure up to the high standards that the older set. He looked up to Wally, no matter how much he hated to admit it. Wally knew all the girls; he kept up to speed with school and tutoring him at some points, and always got everything that Dick couldn't have. So that's why the younger made friends in gymnastics class behind Wally's back. He could finally have something that the older didn't have.

"Let's go inside and play some Portal, huh?" Wally asked over his shoulder as he sauntered up the driveway, not a care in the world.

It was the one thing that Wally wasn't amazing at, and Dick jumped at the opportunity. "Ready when you are."

The two boys raced into the plain house and plopped down on the couch, automatically picking up controllers and starting up the game. The trash-talking started almost instantly, but neither cared because in the end, they were still best friends and nothing would or could ever change it.

They went through the actions of the levels they'd played so many times. Portal was one thing they'd always agree on, and to both it was getting a little boring. The repetitiveness was trying on both of their brains and nothing they tried to do would make the game any more entertaining.

"Let's go to the park," Wally said as he set down his controller after another redundant level. "There are probably girls at the park."

Dick was intrigued by the idea, but internally realized that he would be dubbed the eternal wingman if he went out one more time as a side-kick to the red-head that strangely made the word "ginger" not seem like such an ugly word and made it... he hated to say it... and made "ginger" seem hot. But the other thought that the girls liked the dark and mysterious type, and Dick fit it perfectly. He didn't know what kind of girls his age would be doing at the park, or if there'd even be any at all. The thing about Dick is that he wasn't exclusive. Give him a girl with head full of thick, sexy hair and about a 36C cup, and he'd be good with her for a long time.

Wally jumped off of the couch and raced out the door with his friend trailing behind him. Yeah, Dick was about two years younger than he was, but he took it upon himself to train the little one to be able to handle the drama that could come at any time with the unpredictability of women.

At the park, he perched himself on a high tower so he would be able to see everything that happened on the woodchips. And the girls were particularly catching his eyes today. "Look at those two down there." He jerked his head towards two girls that were in his home room once Dick caught up with him.

"They're okay, I guess. Not my type." Dick tried to come off that he had higher standards then the two stunning girls walking by arm-in-arm.

Wally shot him the are-you-fucking-crazy look. "Just okay? Dude, they're the catch of the day! The only two that could never be single, but always are! Like I always say; never pass by a challenge, and those two are a challenge indeed."

Dick took a closer look at them. One was tall and blonde, but had a hard, cold, and strikingly beautiful face. The other was a brunette with the thick, dark hair that he wanted to run his hands through for the rest of his life. They were both fine choices, but together they would be impossible to catch.

"You can have the brunette. She looks more your age and style. I happen to know that once you crack her, she's easy. But cracking her's hard. The blonde is harder. Be thankful I'm giving you the easy one."

Dick didn't know whether or not to be grateful for the chance to get a girl so easily, or dishonored because of his friend's going easy on him. But he was going to take his chances anyway, so he slid down a slide after Wally to go catch their prey. Only too late he recognized the girls as his friends from gymnastics, and he panicked. He quickly weighed the pros and cons of asking them out. But as soon as he decided, Wally was already chatting things up with the blonde, and the brunette was standing aside looking useless and lonely. So he tried out his swagger without looking to ridiculous, and made his way over to the gorgeous brunette, already knowing that he was going to fail miserably.

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><p><strong>Review por favor!<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**Well, there's a lot of drama. Yup. In my life and soon to come in this fic... probably introduced in the next chapter. If you have any ideas of how I should shape this, please put them in a review. I have about eight chapters planned out with brief outlines, and that's about it. Please help.**

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing.**

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><p>POV: Zatanna<p>

I sat and looked out the living room window for Artemis. Dad was off doing one of his magician's acts again at a birthday party two towns over, and I was left alone all Saturday afternoon, again. I was glad for the freedom, but it came at a price, which was that I couldn't stay home the whole time to be reckless. So I had called Artemis and asked if she wanted to hang out or do something, which she always does, so I wondered why I even had to ask.

Artemis' car pulled up into my driveway and I jumped off of the couch and ran out the front door. I didn't bother to lock the door behind me because we didn't have much to get robbed of. And we trusted our neighbors, so I didn't have a lot to worry about.

"We should go to the park today," Artemis said as she got out and slammed her car door. "Go check out some boys."

I got excited. Artemis knew lots of boys, and she owed me from breaking up with her last boyfriend for her. I deserved some pay-back.

The sun was hidden behind the clouds as we walked to the park, arm-in-arm. It was warm and a little muggy, just barely uncomfortable. It smelled like rain was coming, and coming soon. Or maybe a tornado. I didn't know which one I was looking forward to more.

"Oh look," Artemis said and pointed to the playground. "It's Dick!"

"Who is that with him?"

Artemis squinted at the high platform and made a disgusted face. "Ugh, it's Wally. That kid is so annoying."

"And he's coming down, I think he's gonna talk to you!" I nudged her playfully with my elbow.

"Shit! Hide me!"

"Too late, sorry Hun."

Wally had already crossed the sea of wood chips and was making his way straight towards Artemis. I did feel sorry for her, but not a ton. She put herself out there so much; the guys were bound to notice sometime. As he kept walking towards us, though, I got a little worried that I was going to be the third wheel again, like I usually am around Artemis and another guy. So I unlinked our arms and stepped shyly away from her.

Thankfully, Dick saw that I was in mild distress, and came down to accompany me, but that hope was shattered when he started his attempt at swagger. He was gonna try to ask me out, which everyone knew was either going to fail, or epically fail. He was cute, though, so I thought I'd go a little easy on him.

"So, Zatanna, how's it going?" Dick asked. "You're lookin' a little lonely."

I gave him a playful little smile. "Well thank god you came around. I was getting' worried that you weren't attracted to any of the female type anymore."

"Hey, just 'cause I'm not dating anyone right now doesn't mean I don't have my eyes on her."

I raised my eyebrows and shot him an are-you-kidding-me look. I gotta admit, he can be smooth when he really wants to be, but his charm wasn't doing anything for him right now.

"By the way, how was my last gainer on the mats last Friday?" he asked in a hushed tone.

"Good, but you need to keep your legs tucked in more so you can land it better."

"Thanks, Z."

"Zatanna, we need to go," Artemis growled as she stormed away from Wally. She looped her arm through mine and tugged me off back to my house where her car was parked.

"What happened with you and Wally?" I asked once we were both buckled up and she was driving down the street again.

"Asshole tried to ask me out. Can you believe him?"

"Art, I know you have a crush on him."

"Do not."

"I've seen your geometry notebook. And last time I checked, your last name isn't West."

"That doesn't mean anything."

"Just like the little pictures you draw of his face on every little scrap of paper don't mean anything either?"

That last crack got me a fierce glare and the cold shoulder until we got to the mall. She did that a lot. Whenever I pissed her off almost to the breaking point, it lasted for a few minutes, twenty tops. But if I really pissed her off, she'd tell me off right there and then we'd be best friends again. It was like what guys do; they punch each other in the face and go on with their days, except Artemis does it with words.

Artemis got out of the car and slammed the door shut. I knew she was pissed, so I would lie off of the Wally crap until tonight when she was tired and had her guard down.

We sauntered into the mall entrance together and headed off towards out favorite store. Neither of us had any money to spend; we just liked to look around for anything that caught our eye, and then ask our parents for it later.

I came out of a dressing room with a pair of light blue skinny-jeans on and started looking for Artemis, wanting a second opinion on them. I found her staring up at a mannequin with red hair modeling a green and white rugby shirt.

"He sure is cute, isn't he?" she asked, still looking at the fiberglass face.

"The mannequin?" I asked.

"No. Wally."

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><p><strong>R&amp;R!<strong>


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